Election 2021: Gosport Borough Council count

Conservative (left) and Liberal Democrat candidates await the results for the Forton ward. Picture: David George

Today, volunteers are counting up the election ballots for Gosport Borough Council, after voters went to the polls on May 6.

Nationally, the Conservatives have been strengthening their position in local councils, and in Hampshire the party received around 50 per cent of all votes.

So far in Gosport, six seats have been counted and all were held by the incumbent candidates.

George McAleese, chairman of the Gosport Conservatives said: ‘The results so far have been very positive for us – I’m optimistic that it’ll continue in that vein for the rest of today.

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‘Our candidates are all strong and we’ve run a good campaign.

‘We got an excellent result in the county elections and are confident of holding the Conservative council in Gosport.

‘Gary Walker in Forton and Lesley Meenaghan in Town are great candidates and it would be the icing on the cake if they came through.

For more than half a decade, the Town ward has been held by two Labour councillors – Keith Farr and June Cully.

But early counting suggests that the battle for one of those seats could go to the Conservatives.

With the ward boundaries set to be redrawn for 2021, this year’s results could be seen as a temporary stop-gap.

SEE ALSO: Portsmou th, Gosport and Havant election counts - results as they come in

But the Liberal Democrats are determined to put up a tough fight, and are pleased with the votes that have been taken off their political rivals.

Party leader Peter Chegwyn, who held onto his seat in Leesland, said: ‘It looks really good for the Liberal Democrats here in Gosport.

‘It looks like we’ve held all six seats we were defending – and some of those we thought were at risk.

‘We’ve come close to winning a couple more, but probably just missed them. It’s a difficult year with the Conservatives doing well nationally.’

Later this month, council leader Cllr Mark Hook will hand over his position to Cllr Graham Burgess.

Both held their seats in Alverstoke and Lee East respectively.

Cllr Hook said: ‘The result today should go in our favour and we should return a Conservative council to Gosport.

‘We will continue to do well under the leadership of Graham Burgess.’

RESULTS

Alverstoke

Mark Hook (Con): 861

Bill Charlton (Lib Dem): 581

Jonathan Eaton (Lab): 137

Majority: 180

Turnout: 45.04%

Con hold

Anglesey

Philip Raffaelli (Con): 769

Adele Earle (Lib Dem): 351

Mark Smith (Lab): 128

James Kirkham (Green): 65

Dale Fletcher (Ind): 61

Majority: 318

Turnout: 46.20%

Con hold

Bridgemary North

Steve Hammond (Lib Dem): 870

Supriya Namdeo (Con): 326

Daniel Stratton (Lab): 76

Majority: 544

Turnout: 36.96%

Lib Dem hold

Bridgemary South

Kathleen Jones (Con): 663

Angela Prickett (Lib Dem): 397

Charis Noakes (Lab): 196

Majority: 226

Turnout: 28.22%

Con hold

Brockhurst

Rob Hylands (Lib Dem): 684

Pecs Uluiviti (Con): 313

Alison Mandrill (Lab): 90

Majority: 371

Turnout: 29.58%

Lib Dem hold

Christchurch

Dawn Kelly (Lib Dem): 664

Rob Thompson (Con): 443

Robin Dellow (Lab): 153

Robert Johnston (Green): 97

Majority: 221

Turnout: 34.49%

Lib Dem hold

Elson

Richard Earle (Lib Dem): 584

Natasha Hook (Con): 396

Emma Smith (Lab): 75

Tabitha Evans (Green): 68

Majority: 188

Turnout: 32.36%

Lib Dem hold

Forton

Mervin Bradley (Lib Dem): 411

Gary Walker (Con): 272

Claire Percival (Lab): 112

Geoff O'Flanagan (Ind): 102

Majority: 139

Turnout: 26.88%

Lib Dem hold

Grange

Maggie Morgan (Con): 478

Jonathan Brown (Lab): 208

David Fenton (Lib Dem): 159

Majority: 270

Turnout: 20.02%

Con hold

Hardway

Diane Furlong (Con): 633

Lesley Carr (Lib Dem): 588

Dr Lynn Day (Lab): 173

Jason Mick (Green): 82

Majority: 45

Turnout: 35%

Con hold

Lee East

Graham Burgess (Con): 1,094

Kirsten Bradley (Lib Dem): 549

Paul Nokes (Labour): 118

Majority: 545

Turnout: 38.49%

Con hold

Lee West

John Beavis (Con): 1,574

Dr Marie Cruddas (Lab): 236

Rachel Melieres-Frost (Lib Dem: 193

Majority: 1,338

Turnout: 46.34%

Con hold

Leesland

David Herridge (Lib Dem): 451

Christopher Best (Con): 348

Hilary Percival (Lab): 224

Sam Pollard (Green): 76

Majority: 103

Turnout: 31.71%

Lib Dem hold

Peel Common

Stephen Philpott (Con): 800

Tracey Harrowsmith (Lib Dem): 504

Majority: 296

Turnout: 40.01

Privett

Zoe Huggins (Con): 675

Bob Maynard (Lib Dem): 303

Aretha Green (Lab): 277

Majority: 372

Turnout: 38.30%

Con hold

Rowner and Holbrook

Marcus Murphy (Con): 397

Stephen Marshall (Lib Dem): 352

Hannah Barnard (Lab): 103

Majority: 45

Turnout: 26.25%

Con hold

Town

Lesley Meenaghan (Con): 563

Christopher Percival (Lab): 483

Vincent Berkeley (Ind): 88

Alison Charlton (Lib Dem): 81

Emma Bell (Green): 78

Aaron Pinder (Reform UK); 27

Majority: 80

Turnout: 33.70%

Con gain